Possible Listeria: Virginia named in recall of 22,000 pounds of meat

(CNN) — More than 22,000 pounds of chicken, ham and beef products are being recalled because of possible Listeria contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

The products were sent to retailers and distributors in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming, the USDA said in a statement Tuesday.

The potential contamination was discovered by testing at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, officials said. “A traceback investigation and follow-up testing by (the Food and Drug Administration) at the facility determined there was potential cross contamination of products with Listeria monocytogenes from product contact surfaces.”

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has not received any reports of illnesses, the statement said.

Recalled products include several kinds of chicken salad, ham salad, barbecue beans with beef, and potato salad with bacon. They bear the establishment number EST. 13520 or P-13520 inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection. Listeriosis typically affects older adults, pregnant women, infants and adults with compromised immune systems. Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, and sometimes diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems. Other symptoms can include headache, confusion and convulsions. It can be treated with antibiotics.